| The American social psychologist Kurt Lewin, widely | | | | Environment. Thus Lewin stated that behaviour is a |
| regarded one of the early 20th century founders of | | | | function of the person and his/her environment. Thus |
| modern psychology, developed the change model | | | | the situational perspective of a person's momentary |
| known as "Lewin's Freeze Phases" and which still | | | | situation is the bigger key to understanding his/her |
| forms the underlying basis of many change | | | | behaviour instead of relying solely on past experiences |
| management theories models and strategies for | | | | and influences. |
| managing change. | | | | Lewin's second foundational concept was "Force field |
| Given that the people aspects of change is the | | | | analysis" which provides a framework for looking at |
| overwhelming issue and in the light of the catastrophic | | | | the factors or forces that influence a potential change |
| fact that 70% of ALL change management initiatives | | | | situation. According to Lewin: "An issue is held in |
| fail, it is painfully clear that managing the change | | | | balance by the interaction of two opposing sets of |
| transition requires time and sensitive skillful leadership - | | | | forces - those seeking to promote change (driving |
| exercised within people-focused change management | | | | forces) and those attempting to maintain the status |
| processes. | | | | quo (restraining forces)". |
| This can only be consistently achieved by addressing | | | | In Lewin's view, organisations can be seen as systems |
| all of the key factors that will make it possible. Clearly | | | | in which the current situation is not a static pattern, but |
| what is needed is a change management process | | | | rather an "equilibrium" - or "dynamic balance" of forces |
| that is people oriented and that takes full account of | | | | working in opposite directions. Thus, any change that |
| the human dimension of the change process. In my | | | | may occur is dependent on a shift in this balance or |
| view the programme management based model | | | | equilibrium where the driving forces need to exceed |
| addresses all of these critical areas by focusing on a | | | | the restraining forces. |
| holistic approach that takes full account of these | | | | In a potential change situation a force field analysis can |
| people issues. | | | | be an extremely useful tool for assessing the possibility |
| Lewin's work provides useful background and a | | | | and viability of a change initiative. Here are some |
| practical tool for assessing the case for change - a | | | | suggested simple steps for making this assessment: |
| necessary precursor for the creation and | | | | 1. Where are we now? |
| implementation of a programme based approach to | | | | 2. Where do we want to be? |
| managing change. | | | | 3. What will happen if we don't get there? |
| Underpinning his famous freeze phase model are 2 | | | | 4. What are forces or drivers for this change? |
| important and in my view foundational concepts. | | | | 5. What are the forces or drivers against this change? |
| Firstly the "Lewin's equation", introduced in "Principles of | | | | 6. What are the strongest forces for and against |
| Topological Psychology" [1936], which is not actually a | | | | change? |
| strict mathematical equation showing quantifiable | | | | 7. Is change viable? |
| relationships, but rather a heuristic - an experience | | | | 8. What will be the impact of changing and not |
| based or rule of thumb technique - for predicting | | | | changing? |
| human behaviour. | | | | The output of this analysis will establish the foundations |
| The formula states that B = f(P,E) where B = | | | | for the business case for change and the input to |
| Behaviour, F = Function, P = Person and E = | | | | programme based approach to managing the change. |